All hail Bin Laden: Attack on the Frontier Constabulary

Bodies scattered everywhere and the injured cried out for help after two suicide bombs exploded Friday in Shabqadar, Pakistan. According to BBC News, Pakistan Taliban carried out the attack to avenge the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, who was killed by US Navy Seals on May 2nd. “It’s the first revenge for the martyrdom of Bin Laden. There will be more,” said Taliban spokesman Ehsanollah Ehsan by telephone to Reuters News. The attack was aimed at members of the Frontier Constabulary training center. The cadets were heading home for a 10-day leave after six months of intensive training. “We had been very happy. I was loading my bag into the bus when the blast took place. I was seriously injured but wasn’t knocked out. I crawled towards a safe place and then heard another huge blast,” said Gul Momin, an injured cadet.

Pakistan Army Chiefs were due to appear before parliament just hours after the attack. They were to explain their actions on the death of Bin Laden and their ally with the US. BBC news reported that the first bomber came on a motorcycle and detonated his vest; minutes after the second bomber, on another motorcycle, blew him-self up near the south gates of the Constabulary. This is the deadliest attack of 2011. According to the New York Times, provincial security stated that the death toll was so high because the men were told to wait for their transportation outside the gates, which provided the opportunity to attack them in a cluster. The 6am explosion not only killed recruits but five civilians were later identified. “…there were also four other bodies that were torn into pieces that could not be identified,” said district police chief Nisar Khan Marwat.

The Tribune reports that doctors at the Lady Reading Hospital struggled trying to stabilize the critically wounded and saving the lives of the near dead. Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Abdul Hamid Afridi said that 40 people were in critical condition early Friday morning; by nightfall only one person was critical; the others had become casualties.

"This is a heinous attack. It only highlights the existential threat that these kind of extremist organizations pose for Pakistan, and underscores why it’s so important that we continue to work together both on defeating and dismantling al Qaeda as well as its affiliates,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.